Yoga Sports Coach™ Sets New British Record

Written by Rebecca Coales

When I trained as a Yoga Sports Coach™ in 2012, I worked with a freediving athlete as part of my YSS case study research.

It had occurred to me at the time that I might end up applying the principles to myself as an international freediver, but little did I know that I would go on to become a record-breaking athlete.

Applying What I'd Learnt

I'd been freediving for four years and practising yoga for about the same length of time. I'd also been teaching yoga for two years when I started the Yoga Sports Science® (YSS) course.

I wanted to gain a better understanding of the functional aspects of yoga in relation to the biomechanics of sport and discover new ways to work with athletes.

My case study gave me time to study freediving biomechanics closely, from videos of elite athletes to divers in my own club.

Having worked with a diver for 10 weeks to improve her monofin technique (underwater dolphin kick), I was delighted when she went on to set new personal bests in both pool and depth disciplines.

At the start of 2013, a well-respected coach approached me with an offer to train me in the pool disciplines for competition, where performance is measured by the distance covered with and without fins.

I had few expectations at that point, but I accepted. After all, I'd spent many hours working with my club members and yoga clients, and very few on myself.

Training the Yoga Sports Science® Way

Using the periodisation principles I'd learnt during my training as a Yoga Sports Coach™, along with my understanding of how to integrate yoga into a training programme, I developed my own training plan and got to work.

I had a varied training schedule that included gruelling hill sprints for anaerobic training, swimming technique, weight training and, of course, dry and wet breath-hold exercises.

I continued to practise yoga every day, focusing particularly on core exercises and back and hip flexibility to support the biomechanics of breaststroke and dolphin kick.

By March, I'd set new personal bests in competition, and in June, I flew to Belgrade to compete at the World Championships.

I struggled with a few injuries and areas of discomfort during my training, including tight hip rotators and upper-back tension.

Combined with weekly sports massage, I found yoga invaluable in managing these niggles and maintaining my training routine.

As my swimming distances increased, I would often come home from training with tired and sore legs. This was when my post-training yoga recovery became increasingly important to me.

Setting a New Record

On 31 July 2013, I set a new British women's record for Dynamic No Fins (DNF), which involves swimming underwater using a breaststroke technique on a single breath.

The anticipation of a record attempt, where all the focus is on one athlete, is challenging, to say the least!

Although my sport involves breath-holding, the way I prepare mentally before a performance can make a considerable difference to how focused and relaxed I feel.

I generally spend the hour before a dive listening to a guided relaxation and resting, using comfortable, unforced breathing to help me feel calm and prepared.

I'm now taking a well-earned rest while I create some yoga sequences for clients training in both monofin and breaststroke disciplines.

My next challenge is training for depth dives and exploring how sport-specific yoga techniques might support the physical demands of diving at greater depths.

As pressure increases underwater, the lungs are compressed and the chest wall experiences considerable mechanical demands. Chest mobility and an understanding of breathing mechanics are particularly relevant to this sport.

I'll also continue working with scuba divers who are exploring how relaxed breathing, physical strength and flexibility exercises may complement their diving activities.

If you’re interested in working with me please visit www.omdiver.co.uk.